UK Armed Forces Weekly News Roundup (21–28 November 2025)
Welcome to this week’s British military news update, covering the latest developments across the British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Air Force and veterans’ affairs. Over the past seven days we have seen serious questions over Army equipment safety, a major carrier strike homecoming, renewed focus on Russian activity at sea, and continuing efforts to grow and support the UK’s Armed Forces community. Here is your full UK Armed Forces briefing.
British Army: Ajax Safety Scare, Gurkha Success and Slow Growth
The British Army spent much of the week dealing with the consequences of fresh problems on its flagship armoured vehicle programme.
Training with the Ajax armoured fighting vehicle was halted after around 30 soldiers fell ill during an exercise on Salisbury Plain. Troops reported symptoms such as vomiting, violent shaking, headaches and balance problems, which have been linked to excessive noise and vibration inside the vehicles. A two week pause has been ordered while safety investigators examine the incident and review test data.
Ajax has already suffered years of delays and earlier suspensions because of hearing injuries and vibration issues. With billions of pounds invested and the vehicle expected to form the backbone of the Army’s future reconnaissance capability, this latest setback has reignited questions about procurement oversight, the protection of soldiers during trials and the balance between getting new kit into service and keeping people safe.
There was more positive news on the training side. At Catterick, a cohort of Gurkha recruits achieved a one hundred per cent pass rate on their course, a significant milestone that reflects both the reputation of the Brigade of Gurkhas and the quality of the Army’s infantry training system. It is a reminder that, even as some procurement projects struggle, frontline units continue to turn out highly motivated and well trained soldiers.
New personnel statistics also painted a mixed picture. Despite a renewed recruitment drive, the UK Armed Forces have only grown by a few hundred regulars over the past year, leaving overall numbers only slightly up. For the Army, this underlines how important retention, accommodation standards and family support will be if it wants to hit future manpower targets as part of the Strategic Defence Review.
For readers interested in British Army news, the message this week is clear. Modernisation is happening, but it is running up against very human issues around safety, trust and quality of life.
Royal Navy: Carrier Strike Group Homecoming and Russian Ship Interceptions
It has been a big week at sea for the Royal Navy, with both high profile homecomings and quiet, routine vigilance around British waters.
Britain’s Carrier Strike Group, led by HMS Prince of Wales, is returning home after what the Navy is calling a hugely successful eight month deployment. The task group has operated from the High North and Atlantic to the Mediterranean, Arabian Sea and Indo Pacific. During this mission, Royal Navy warships, F 35B Lightning jets and helicopters have trained with allies including the United States, Japan, Australia and India.
As the ships and aircraft arrive back in the UK, the deployment is being presented as proof that Britain can still field a credible, global carrier strike capability. Lessons from live weapons exercises, complex air missions and long range logistics will feed directly into future tactics and training. For anyone following Royal Navy operations, this homecoming marks the end of one of the most significant British naval deployments in recent years.
Closer to home, the Royal Navy reported that it had been activated twice in two weeks to intercept Russian warships transiting near UK waters. Royal Navy patrol ships and escorts tracked and shadowed the vessels through the North Sea approaches, a reminder that day to day defence of home waters remains a core task alongside headline carrier strike operations.
Looking further ahead, the Navy is also shaping the future of underwater warfare. Work continues on Project Cabot, the Royal Navy’s programme to accelerate the use of large uncrewed underwater vehicles, often called submarine drones. These systems are intended to patrol sea lanes, protect undersea cables and support anti submarine warfare, at a fraction of the cost of a manned submarine. Together with new laser weapons for air defence and a hybrid fleet of crewed and uncrewed surface ships, this puts the Royal Navy at the forefront of technological change beneath the waves as well as above them.
Royal Marines: Lessons From the Carrier Group and Future Littoral Operations
The Royal Marines have been deeply integrated into the Carrier Strike Group deployment, and their focus now turns to absorbing what that experience means for the future of littoral operations.
Throughout the Prince of Wales deployment, commando detachments have provided boarding teams, force protection and amphibious expertise. They have trained alongside partner forces in the Mediterranean and Indo Pacific, practising everything from helicopter assaults and fast roping to small boat raids and coastal reconnaissance.
As the ships return, Royal Marines leaders are already talking about how the deployment has helped refine the concept of the Future Commando Force. In particular:
- Working from a large carrier has shown how commandos can use major platforms as floating bases for drones, raiding craft and small, dispersed teams.
- Operating alongside allies in tight littoral spaces has sharpened tactics for operating in cluttered, contested coastal waters.
- Exposure to emerging technologies, including uncrewed surface and underwater systems, has reinforced the need for Royal Marines to act as a link between high end naval sensors and soldiers on the shore.
For those following Royal Marines news, this week is less about dramatic single events and more about a quiet shift towards a more agile, data driven and technology enabled commando force.
Royal Air Force: F 35 Training in Italy and Allied Exercises
The Royal Air Force maintained a strong international footprint this week, particularly through its F 35 operations and joint training with allies.
RAF F 35B Lightning jets are in Italy for Exercise Falcon Strike 25, a multinational air exercise that focuses on fifth generation fighter tactics, data sharing and integrated air defence. Working alongside Italian and other allied air forces, RAF crews are developing tactics for using stealth aircraft in complex scenarios, from suppressing enemy air defences to coordinating with older fourth generation jets.
These kinds of exercises are crucial for keeping the RAF at the cutting edge of air combat. They allow British pilots and engineers to test new software, weapons and communications in realistic environments, and they reinforce the RAF’s reputation as a key player in NATO’s airpower.
Elsewhere, RAF aircraft and personnel remain committed to ongoing air policing and surveillance missions over Eastern Europe and the North Atlantic. While these operations are lower profile than combat missions, they are central to deterrence, reassurance of allies and rapid response if tensions rise.
At home, the RAF also continued its Remembrance activity and youth engagement. Air Cadets featured in official updates as they visited veterans at The Poppy Factory and learned about the significance of remembrance within the RAF family, helping to link the next generation of aviators with those who have already served.
Veterans’ Affairs: Covenant Employers and The Challenge of Numbers
Veterans’ affairs this week were shaped by two related themes. The first is recognition of those who support the Armed Forces community. The second is a reminder of how fragile overall force numbers still are.
On the positive side, the Ministry of Defence announced new Armed Forces Covenant Business signatories. Companies from sectors such as technology, compliance and specialist services have committed to support reservists, veterans and military families within their organisations. This can include flexible working for reservists, guaranteed interview schemes for veterans and active participation in community Armed Forces events. Every new signatory strengthens the network of employers who understand the value of service and are willing to back it in a practical way.
However, new figures on overall manpower show that, despite a sustained recruitment campaign, the UK Armed Forces have only grown by about 240 regular personnel over the last year. Taken across the Army, Royal Navy, Royal Marines and RAF, that is a very modest increase, and it highlights how retention, family support and post service opportunities all feed into the long term health of the Armed Forces and the veteran community.
For veterans and those still serving, this combination of slow growth, increasing demands and evolving threats reinforces the importance of both good employers and well funded, easily accessible support services.
Strategic Summary
The period from 21 to 28 November 2025 gives a clear snapshot of where UK defence stands at the moment.
On land, the British Army is simultaneously trying to modernise with platforms like Ajax and advanced surveillance radars, while dealing with real concerns about equipment safety and the lived experience of soldiers in military housing. At sea, the Royal Navy is completing a flagship carrier strike deployment and investing in submarine drones, all while keeping a close eye on Russian warships near home waters. The Royal Marines are consolidating their role at the centre of future littoral operations, learning from months of carrier operations and allied training.
In the air, the RAF is focused on fifth generation training, air policing and alliance leadership. Around all of this, the government is encouraging more businesses to sign the Armed Forces Covenant and backing programmes such as VALOUR to help veterans, even as overall personnel numbers inch up more slowly than many would like.
For readers and customers interested in UK Armed Forces news, the key themes this week are modernisation, readiness, alliances and people. The technology is advancing quickly, the commitments are growing, and supporting those who serve remains more important than ever.
Keep Following Our Weekly Updates
That concludes this week’s UK Armed Forces Weekly News Roundup. From Ajax safety concerns and carrier strike homecomings to submarine drone ambitions, F 35 training and veteran friendly employers, it has been a busy and revealing week for Britain’s Armed Forces.
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